


Happiness and Joy go Hand-in-Hand Until They Don't Anymore

by dromayr



Series: Andromeda [1]
Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Conflict, Frisk also flirts with everything, Frisk is a young teen, Gen, Post-Pacifist Run, Protests, Racism, Violence, ambassadorial duties, anti-monster groups, bodybuilding in the literal sense, nb chara and frisk, or two dead kids, or: the story of how a dead kid lived again, settlement building, undertale pacifist ending spoilers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-04-05
Updated: 2016-04-11
Packaged: 2018-05-31 08:47:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,218
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6463606
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dromayr/pseuds/dromayr
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Given Name CHARA. USAGE: Greek. OTHER SCRIPTS: Χαρα (Greek) Means "happiness, joy."</p><p>It's after the barrier has been broken, monsters seem hopeful for the future and are working on building New-New Home, or Ebott. Some humans are deeply against this, and it's the duty of the monster-human ambassador to make things right and avoid another war. Because if there is another war, monsters will be completely wiped out.</p><p>This is a lot of responsibility for a child.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. New Start

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The barrier is broken and Frisk has a decision to make.

You find yourself staring into the openness of the world beyond Ebott.

The trees below sway slowly with the sunrise breeze, image of a city printed on the horizon. The skyline looks like it’s burning, but it’s comforting to you and amazing to your family.

You catch a glance at Toriel, who has brought a paw to her mouth in an attempt to hold back the happy tears that streak down either side of her muzzle, and smile softly. It’s so great to see the monsters enjoying their first sight of the aboveground for the first time in hundreds of years.

“Wow, Frisk…You live with this every day?” You hear a voice ask in awe, and so you nod.

It’s been so long since you stopped and took the time to appreciate the sun.

You bring yourself to a seat at the edge of the cliff after everyone else has left, pushing thoughts of trying to fly out of your head. Toriel joins you.

“What will you do now, my child? Do you have somewhere to go?”

“I wanna stay with you.”

“Well, if you’re certain.”

Toriel takes a moment more to appreciate the view she hasn’t seen since the barrier was built and then gently takes your hand.

“Come, let us join the others.”

And she leads you down a barely-used hiking path, one that connects to the path you followed up to the cavern at the start of your journey. You see a glimpse of Asgore’s mighty horns peeking above his collar some twenty yards ahead. It’s reassuring, somehow; knowing the almighty king of monsters is going to be there to help you in your ambassadorial duties. You hold no grudge against him, as you know he did not want to start another war by seeking out souls beyond the barrier and did not want to face a similar fate as his son.

The voice in the back of your mind is silent, but gives off their first aura of calm through your entire journey.

 _Are you happy?_ You remember asking them once, and ask again now.

There’s a long pause.

**_I think so._ **

You’ll settle for that answer.

When you and Toriel reach the end of the path and arrive at a clearing, you notice that everyone else has had the same idea to rest. Papyrus seems upset, and you catch bits of him complaining mildly to Sans about not being able to find any humans to greet. You choose to seat yourself on a log near Undyne and Alphys, who are leaning against each other and staring at the increasingly blue sky. Undyne turns and gives you a massive smile before ruffling your hair and giving Alphys a kiss on the forehead.

“You did it, punk! I’m glad I was wrong about you.” She beams, and you suppose that’s the closest thing to praise that she’ll give you.

You watch as everyone sets up tents and prepares provisions – this clearing will likely be your home for a while until accommodations can be made with the humans. Toriel pads her way over to you, and you notice her paws are still adjusting to the dewy grass. “My child, I think it is a good time for you to rest.” She coaxes, bringing you to a standing position as you rub at your eyes.

“Would you like your own tent or would you like to sleep in mine?” You point at hers and cuddle up to her sleeve. This brings a chuckle to her lips as she guides you over to the flap and hands you a sleeping bag and a pillow. “Sleep well, my child. It has been a long evening for you.”

“Good night, mom.” She pauses and then positively beams at you.

“Good night, Frisk.” And she closes the tent flap.

As you settle yourself into your sleeping bag, half tempted to convert it into some soft blanket nest, you address the voice.

_Chara, you still there?_

**_…Yeah, I’m here._ **

_We did it. Well, Asriel did it, but we’re here._

**_Yeah, he did. Get some sleep, Frisk._ **

_Okay. G’night, Chara!_

**_...Night, Frisk._ **

When you awaken later, you notice that it is noon judging by the position of the sun directly above the vents in your tent and its desire to shine into your eyes. You exit the tent and are amazed, there are monsters of all types clearing away trees with magic and setting up tents and pagodas, cooking food, and otherwise milling about and taking in the sights. You spot Grillby in his own large tent with a large grill, serving burgers to hungry monsters. Toriel is speaking with Asgore. She does not look pleased, but she is at least talking to him. You walk over, blinking the sleep from your eyes the entire way, and approach the two monarchs.

Toriel pauses mid-sentence and addresses you. “Did you sleep well enough, my child?” You nod your affirmation before getting to the root of the matter.

“Did you guys find any humans yet?”

“Yes, Frisk. I went and spoke with a few policemen who came to investigate the sudden noise among the trees. I explained the situation and Toriel and I went with them to the village at the base of the mountain. We are free to claim the area on the mountain as our own, but they wish to speak with us more on the matter.” Asgore answers immediately and courteously. Toriel shoots him a look but then nods.

“Yes, they wish to speak to _our ambassador_ on the matter, but there is no rush.”

“How long was I asleep for, then? If you guys got all that done, I mean.”

“You’ve been sleeping for a full day, my child. I do not blame you, after how low your health was when the barrier broke.” That throws you for a loop.

**_Welcome to the waking world, ambassador sleepyhead._ **

_Like you weren’t sleeping until just now._ You retort.

“When do they want to talk?”

“Whenever we have finished our initial settlement of the mountain. As I said, there is no rush.” Toriel answers, smile on her face.

“I want to talk to them now.” You insist. Determination being your largest character trait, your expression is nothing short of coated in it.

“Are you certain?” Toriel asks.

“Yes.” You reply, and that is that.

Toriel and Asgore breathe out through their noses, though bemusedly as opposed to angrily.

“Very well then. We will leave in an hour.” Asgore states.

And with that, your duty is set in stone (to you) and you begin preparing yourself to face humans for the first time in months, in thousands of deaths and resets. You’re understandably nervous, hands quivering at your sides as you return to the tent and work on finding a hair brush of some sort to look more presentable. Not that you expect to find one, but it's the excuse you give while you compose yourself a bit more.

**_You’ll do fine._ **

_We’ll do fine, actually. We’re in this together, remember?_

**_…Yeah, I guess we are._ **

You’re filled with a desire to make an excellent first impression, to say the right things to allow monster integration, and to do your family proud.

After all, it’s only an hour until you leave to face what you tried to leave behind.


	2. Politics Are Boring, but Banter Isn't

You're trying very hard not to fall asleep.

Across the table from you is a pair of portly "gentleman" of indeterminate old age. One is distinctly short and pale, with a scraggly mustache and the other is taller with darkened skin but still just as overweight and sweaty. The mayor and governor of the local township. The two men keep staring at Asgore and Toriel when they think the two royals aren't paying attention, probably fearful of them.

"Well, we can't just hand over some land to you. Most of the fields around our town are farmland, so we need it for food and cash crops." The short mayor says, taking a handkerchief out of his pocket and dabbing his brow with it. The governor gives the man a sharp look.

"Of course we can allocate some land around the mountain to the monsters, Portman! Those fields are overgrown and one of them isn't even owned by anyone other than the state! It's the very least we can do for an entire population of people our ancestors trapped."

"Yes, but you must remember they were trapped because of a war! It is not our business to decide what is right, it is the congressional government's."

"But it is our place to assist them in any way we can." The taller man turns to Asgore.

"We will allocate 4000 acres to you at the base and areas around the mountain. Mind you, this is only about six square miles, so it's not much! But it will hopefully be enough for you monsters to get settled and set up a town. Will you need any resource assistance?" He asks.

Asgore shakes his head.

"We have plenty of building materials from the forests around the mountain and plenty of food, thank you."

The two human men turn to you and you immediately sit fully upright, not wanting to give off a bad image already.

"And this, er, child is your ambassador?" the mayor asks. the governor is just as confused by the election of a child to an ambassadorial seat.

"They are my adopted child." Toriel defends. This isn't far from the truth.

"But do you really think it wise to rely on a kid for your relations-"

"I helped break the magical barrier that was around for a hundred years." You interrupt. Rude, but you want to prove yourself.

"I made friends with every monster in the Underground, even though I could have left at any time by killing one of them. Instead, I became part of their family. I'm also a human, so that will make other humans more likely to listen to me. If you have a problem with that, I'm sorry, but I think I'm the best fit for the job."

That was wordy even for you. Both men and your parents seem a bit shocked at your insistence to defend yourself, but Asgore and Toriel seem just as pleased as they do surprised.

"I...well then, If you lot are certain." The mayor states, leaning back in his seat.

After another hour or so of discussion, you and your family leave and begin the trek back to the mountain.

"I did not expect that governor to be so willing to assist us." Asgore muses, rubbing his golden beard.

"I suppose he feels guilty for what his race did." Toriel replies.

You nod, all too aware that humans could be highly prejudiced against even each other and any willing help from an official was wholly unexpected.

_**I don't believe for even one second that his help doesn't come without a catch.** _

_You're probably right, but we still need to have faith._

**_And when has blind trust helped us in any way?_ **

_I believed you would change, didn't I?_

**_..._ **

"My child, are you alright? You seem distracted." Asks Toriel as she slows to meet your trudging pace.

You nod your head in a 'yes.' "Yeah, just thinking is all."

"If you are certain. We are still thirty minutes out from Ebott, would you like to take a rest?" Asgore asks, and once more you nod. The three of you take a seat on a fallen log and you pull some bottled water out from your pack and offer it to Toriel and Asgore, who both accept. You all sit in peace for a few minutes, basking in the warmth of the summer sunset and listening to the birdsong. After some more reflection, you all stand and continue your trek.

_**A cold sandwich would have been nice just then.** _

_Yeah, too bad my bag isn't insulated or I'd have brought some._

**_Tuna salad with fresh lettuce on it, Frisk. Imagine it._ **

_Gross. How can you stand tuna?_

_**I just like it, okay? I don't judge you and your love of spicy food.** _

_Yeah, but spicy is awesome! It's like an adventure while you eat._

**_No, you're just a masochist._ **

_I don't know what that means, but I'm sure you're wrong.  
_

Chara snickers in the back of your brain.

**_You're so innocent it hurts, you vanilla bean._ **

_What?_

They stop talking to you, content with continuing their bodiless giggling. You're confused, but you drop it, deciding anything Chara found so amusing at your expense was either inappropriate or downright mean. However, you do make a note to look up 'masochist' in a dictionary later.

You, Asgore, and Toriel arrive back at the settlement and you are immediately amazed at what you see.

The settlement has grown exponentially in just a few hours, magical buildings replacing the majority of the tents and monsters milling about and helping each other build. There's a Grillby's on the end of a cobblestone street, doors propped open to let in the fresh night air and monsters going in and out in groups.

You spy a large almost-manor sitting towards the center of town, with a comfortable porch and a cheery pale yellow color adorning its siding. There's a smaller, similar looking house next door, ivy vines already creeping up the pillars on the porch. You assume the plants are magic.

You're amazed when Asgore and Toriel lead you to the two houses. Asgore parts ways and enters the small house, and you hear builders chirp "Hello your majesty! Your house is almost ready, we just need to finish your back yard for you."

Toriel and yourself enter the larger home, and another builder peers at Toriel over a small sheet of paper. "Hello, your majesty! Your home is complete. Here are some phone numbers, call any one of us if something doesn't work right." He hands Toriel the sheet and she sets it down on a nearby table as the other monster leaves.

It's a cozy environment, large plush furniture arranged into a decently sized seating area that could easily hold yourself and all of your friends. Adjacent is a dining room, with stairs on the side near a large bay window that allows a view into the darkened back yard. Attached is the kitchen, and if you peer around the corner you can see that it is fully equipped for Toriel's many culinary feats. Toriel ushers you up the stairs and you notice that there are five rooms.

"Papyrus and Sans will be living with us, my child. This first room on the left is yours." She says, smiling warmly at you.

You open the door and note the soft warmth of the room. It is painted in a light lavender, plain white blanket and sheets adorning the bed, which sits next to a large wardrobe and an even larger closet.

"I told them to leave it mostly plain so you may decorate it as you wish." Toriel states, rustling the hair on your head with her large paw.

"Now my child, the bathroom is at the end of the hall on the right. If you desire a shower, I can bring you some warm clothing and a towel. Would you like that?" You nod and she heads down the stairs to retrieve said items. You enter the bathroom and gape openly at the large, pristine tub and shower head. The floor has heated tiles, whether by magic or by technology you're unsure. No matter the source, you kick off your boots and stand on it for a moment, relishing in the calm warmth. A second later, you cringe at the smell emanating from your socks. You haven't bathed since you arrived at Toriel's cottage in the underground roughly a week ago. You feel an extra set of disgusted emotions in the back of your mind.

_**Frisk, that's absolutely disgusting.** _

_I couldn't really help it, alright?_

Toriel arrives and hands you a cozy-looking set of fleece pajamas and a big fluffy towel that you could use as a blanket. You start stripping as soon as the door is shut and step into the shower. The water starts up at a reasonably lukewarm temperature, surprisingly not cold on your frame, and you select one of the many fruity shampoos on the side of the tub. You feel Chara's influence hiding itself away for the time being and chuckle.

_Don't you want to feel the water, too? It'll be nice._

**_Aren't showers supposed to be private?_ **

_Nah, I want you to have this. I can just bathe tomorrow._

You hand control over the Chara, making them stumble ever so slightly at the sudden appearance of corporeal legs. They regain composure and stand upright, immediately facing directly into the shower head with eyes closed and a deep sigh.

_Told you you'd like it._

**_Be quiet for a bit, Frisk._**

You chuckle inwardly, spreading a feeling of mirth into your shared chest. Chara pauses for a moment, but then grabs a loofah and begins scrubbing their shoulders roughly.

_**You're absolutely filthy.** _

_That means you are too, dork._

**_...Shush._ **

You allow Chara to enjoy the moment a bit more as they scrub at their chest, stomach, neck, and back. They pause before continuing and stand fully upright for a moment.

_**If you even think of flirting right now I'm going to throw the both of us off the mountain.** _

You project an image of a sly, incorporeal grin and begin humming a tune. If you can't flirt, you'll just annoy while Chara goes about scrubbing the rest of your shared body.

Eventually, they turn off the water and thrust you back into control. You wrap yourself in the towel and leave it hanging from your waist as you go about brushing your wild, damp hair into some sort of order. You stare at yourself in the mirror, now that you're cleaned up. There's a thick scar beneath your eye, usually covered by a band-aid. Your freckles pepper your face like constellations, and your deep brown eyes peer out from heavy lids and epicanthal folds. Your curly hair has come down to your shoulders, resting against your neck and framing it. You turn your head and observe the beginnings of acne on your face and wispy hair creeping down your jawline.

_**Admiring yourself, dashing young adventurer? Savior of monsters and of those who are afraid?** _

_And I thought you told_ me  _not to flirt._

**_I'm not flirting, I'm poking fun at your saviour_ _complex._ **

You don't buy that for even half of a second, but you let it go. You dress yourself and head to your new bedroom, and in passing you notice Toriel's door is open while she is placing books on a shelf. She hears your footsteps on the hard wood and turns to wave at you.

"Good night, Frisk. Sleep well."

"Night, mom!" You reply.

As soon as you enter your room you flop onto the bed, too tired to cover yourself with your blankets.

_**Lazy.** _

_You act like you would do any different._

_**Tsk. Good night, dork.**  
_

_Night, nerd._

You shut off the lamp near your bed and drift off into deep sleep, ready to dream of broken barriers and of goat boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was mostly wordbuilding and descriptions.


End file.
